Presenter: Jerry Valadez, California State University, Fresno; Member of NRC Steering Committee
In this session, learn more about the National Research Council report, Successful K-12 STEM Education: Identifying Effective Approaches in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, which provides a review of research on STEM-focused schools, effective STEM practices, and effective schooling, and makes recommendations for improving STEM education.
About the Presenter:
Jerry Valadez, Director of the Central Valley Science Project, California State University, Fresno; Member of NRC Steering Committee
Jerry Valadez is director of the Central Valley Science Project, a professional development network of science faculty, professional developers, and teachers of science K–16. In addition, he is executive director of SAM Academy, a STEM-focused out-of-school enrichment program; teaches in the health profession’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program; and consults in the development of CTE curricula for the University of California and California high schools. Previous experiences include medical technologist, elementary and secondary science teacher, afterschool director, and K-12 science coordinator. He also served as director of National Science Foundation (NSF)- and Department of Education (DOE)-supported urban STEM initiatives and was an early pioneer in STEM schools concepts that combined rigorous academics with career technical and industry standards. A strong advocate of formal and informal learning for underserved children, Valadez was also principal investigator on NSF- and DOE-supported informal STEM programs. He has assisted with the revision of the AP Core Standards in Science for grades 7–12, the focus group for the new K–12 Framework for Science Education, and the NGSS review team for California. Valadez was on the 2010–11 Successful STEM Schools Advisory Committee and the 1999–2003 Committee on Science Education for the National Academy. He also was a member of the Congressional Commission on STEM Education for the 21st Century, and the AAAS Project 2061 Phase II Panel. He serves on committees for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), California Department of Education, and the NSF. He is an active member of NSTA and served as chair of the 2011 National Conference on Science Education in San Francisco.
